Choice, Challenges and Egos.

[Scuba_Vixen]

I will keep it all recreational equipment.

Holly cow, he's found a way to side mount with a poodle jacket, lol

I'm with you Mike, I'd put my money on Curt too,

Darlene

 

[RastaDiver]

Yo man..........

Depending of what your intention of diving, planned to what level is required. Having Advanced Diving Cert. doesn't means you are a very good diver. Correct me if i'm wrong, most DM pays more attention to newbies compared to advance divers. However, newbies won't get to dive to those hard-to-reach dive spots. As for me, at this moment, i would like to plan to the level i could dive at night.

Diving is all about leisure and interest. Because i love to see fishes in the world biggest aquarium, i took up the course, otherwise i might just buy a 4 feet fish tank. For me,the passion of diving is growing and growing as more dives being clocked.
Because of the passion of underwater world is increasing, conservations of this world beauty slowly takes into considerations. If you don't like people to mess up your house, don't mess up other people's house.

 

[OE2X]

For some of us getting certs is a way to gain knowledge of the sport. For us, it is not about cert bagging, but obtaining the basics to make the next safe step in our diving progression. For many of us, we realize that the older we get, the less we actually know. Obtaining information from people with far more experienced than ourselves is the safer and better way to learn. Sure you can learn from your mistakes on your own, but this can get rather dangerous.

I believe there are four basic ways to get knowledge in the dive community.
1. Classes or certs are the most obvious way for many people that have limited time to devote to the sport. It's also the easiest way. Go to your LDS and sign up for a class. Do the homework and the OW training and you have the basics to start with. Good start. It's also good that we have this available. It's a bit like getting an MBA. Just because you have a fresh diploma doesn't mean that you are qualified to be a CEO of a Fortune 500 company right after graduation.
2. Mentorship. This is harder to find if you are a stroke looking for someone to take you under their wing. If you are lucky enough to find someone really good and that just happens to have patience and teaching skill you are a very lucky person.
3. Reading all that you can. This board has been a fantastic way for me to realize all that I don't know about the sport. Books are great as well. JJ's DIR fundementals or Curt Bowens magazine are just two sources.
4. Likely, the most important way of learning, is to practice your skills. Get out there and do your OOA drills, make up your dive plans, try not to rely on your computer so much, learn a new kick, know how to use deco tables even if you don't dive that deep. Keep in mind what the NYC cop said to the tourist on the best way she could get to Carnegie Hall - "Practice, practice, practice."

Personally I have a number of certs, but I don't find it necessary to talk about them. I believe that my certs are just starting points in my knowledge. Each time I have gotten a new cert, it has taken me months or longer to feel that I have an obtained an adequate level of skill pertaining to it. There are new certs that I want to get so that I can explore areas that as of yet I'm unqualified and unsafe to go to. To do some dives you have to have the cert. Is this such a bad idea? Not in my humble opinion. I want to go deep, so I'll be getting a mixed gas cert. Does this make me a better diver than a Carribean warrior? No. Will I have I have more or better fun than them? Not neccesarily. With a few exceptions we are all strokes while working on our next level. Also keep in mind, that we all started at the same level as the CW's. Who knows maybe one of them will go on to be the next JJ.

Just my 3 cents.

 

[neil]

Is it ego or experience?

Some advanced and technical divers can come across to the new diver or the outsider as an egotistical ass. I have been accused of this myself at times to those who do not know me.
Many times people come across as asses only because you do not know them, have not spent any time on a dive or boat with them.
I don’t need to see your certification card, all I need to see is your equipment and how you swim in the water to tell if you’re a GOOD diver or a BS card collector.

Curt,
This is not directed at you personally because.....I don't know you.
I may not know as much about diving as some, but if a guy walks, talks, and acts like an ass, no matter how good a diver, he's still an ass. People have to KNOW you to know you're not an ass? I assume most folks aren't until they prove otherwise.

Neil

 

[kalvyn]

Any takers? If so, you must be willing to learn the right way.

Out of curiosity, what is your definition of "learning the right way"? Not trying to pick a fight here, just genuinely interested.

Jimmie

 

[OE2X]

I can guarantee I could take any new openwater diver, streamline their crap, teach them several little tips and make them a 100% better diver in 2 dives. I know this is a bold statement but I have done it many times in the past.

Any takers? If so, you must be willing to learn the right way.

Blast away, lets make this interesting!

Curt,
I say bring it on. I would love to learn from you! You ever get to Seattle, look me up and sign me up.
BTW - I love your mag. Just subscribed for 2 years.

 

[Curt Bowen]

Out of curiosity, what is your definition of "learning the right way"? Not trying to pick a fight here, just genuinely interested.

Jimmie

No fight here, you dont have enough dives yet. LOL (just kidding)

The right way is very simple for O/W divers.

1.Get rid of all the loose dangling crap. (that stupid pressure gauge dangling all over snagging everything insight) Buy a BCD that does not have all those extra buckles, belts, soft packs, dangling pull straps, pockets, integrated weight belts etc....

2. Tuck in all loose hoses and clip your pressure gauge up.
Put a necklass on your second stage primary, wear it around your neck.

3. Clip your octo up to the right possition (someplace on the upper chest) with a clip and not a stupid mouth piece plastic holder. You know the kind that NEVER hold.

4. Dont take the crap if you do not need it. (Leave that 500 pound lift bag on the boat if your not salvaging a ships cannon)

5. Use a black skirted mask, you'll see alot more without the light blinding you from reflecting back off the inside of the glass.

6. Take all lanyards off everything and replace with proper clips. (Lanyards suck and they cause GIANT snag points)

7. Get rid of those stupid weight belts that fall off or come unbuckled. Either use steel tanks or weight the cylinder. ( I can see another big debate about stupid weight belts again )

8. Learn how to swim right. The frog kick conserves energy and moves the diver streamlined through the water. Oh ya, remember head down - fins up.


If you want to be a moronic diver and flail all over the reef, snag yourself on every peice of metal on the wreck, suck down 3 times more air than needed because your crap has more drag than a ships main sail, thats fine with me, I really dont give a crap.

If your diving with me, you will have your crap togather, or working towards it or you wont be diving!

Dont take me as a hard ass, I have had many new openwater divers come along on expeditions and after a week they were MUCH MUCH happier with their new equipment configuration and learned skills. Today many are superior divers who I would take anywhere around the world on projects.

 

[jbd]

No fight here, you dont have enough dives yet. LOL (just kidding)

The right way is very simple for O/W divers.

1.Get rid of all the loose dangling crap. (that stupid pressure gauge dangling all over snagging everything insight) Buy a BCD that does not have all those extra buckles, belts, soft packs, dangling pull straps, pockets, integrated weight belts etc....

2. Tuck in all loose hoses and clip your pressure gauge up.
Put a necklass on your second stage primary, wear it around your neck.

3. Clip your octo up to the right possition (someplace on the upper chest) with a clip and not a stupid mouth piece plastic holder. You know the kind that NEVER hold.

4. Dont take the crap if you do not need it. (Leave that 500 pound lift bag on the boat if your not salvaging a ships cannon)

5. Use a black skirted mask, you'll see alot more without the light blinding you from reflecting back off the inside of the glass.

6. Take all lanyards off everything and replace with proper clips. (Lanyards suck and they cause GIANT snag points)

7. Get rid of those stupid weight belts that fall off or come unbuckled. Either use steel tanks or weight the cylinder. ( I can see another big debate about stupid weight belts again )

8. Learn how to swim right. The frog kick conserves energy and moves the diver streamlined through the water. Oh ya, remember head down - fins up.


If you want to be a moronic diver and flail all over the reef, snag yourself on every peice of metal on the wreck, suck down 3 times more air than needed because your crap has more drag than a ships main sail, thats fine with me, I really dont give a crap.

If your diving with me, you will have your crap togather, or working towards it or you wont be diving!

Dont take me as a hard ass, I have had many new openwater divers come along on expeditions and after a week they were MUCH MUCH happier with their new equipment configuration and learned skills. Today many are superior divers who I would take anywhere around the world on projects.

I agree with all but one thing on your list and its not a show stopper. My question is, Why are these concepts not used in all OW classes.

 

[oceancrest67]

I agree with all but one thing on your list and its not a show stopper. My question is, Why are these concepts not used in all OW classes.

Good question. I agree with the list. I also agree with it from experience and from my cavern / cave / wreck training. Keeping things simple and streamlined is key and less bureaucratic. For new divers, for any diver really, having less is more. One thing I do like is a weight integrated bc...I use a Transpac which stays glued to my back and keeps me so level it is effortless. Weight belts are good depending on the kind of diving and bc...but in some way, they are a pain.

Why do new divers dive with kitchen rubber gloves and dangling gauges...accessorized to the nth degree? The LDS has got to keep sales up and keep them coming back for more. It is the way of the market place.

One more thing to add to the list...for any diver...always, always maintain your gear...always keep it clean and well stored...always check it before diving...and always put fresh batteries (if unsure about the last time) in everything, especially lights.

 

[Curt Bowen]

I agree with all but one thing on your list and its not a show stopper. My question is, Why are these concepts not used in all OW classes.

It’s like a domino affect. Poor divers with no experience take the 6-month C-card wagon to become poor instructors. They teach new divers who without their knowledge become poor divers. Some of these poor divers become course directors and board members for the training agencies. They create poor training material because they had poor training and no experience. The new diver purchases this poor training material and the whole process starts over again.

The question is:

How do we break the chain or is it to late.

The next question is:

How as a new diver can you prevent being linked to the chain or know when your taking poor training?

Diving is for fun, but if you dive the right configuration and take a few steps to become a better diver, your diving will become MUCH more fun and less stressful. You will see more and have more bottom time just because you’re better and more confident in the water.